Mission Motors tweeted out something interesting just a moment ago, a link to a new website for Mission Motorcycles. Teasing there a photo of the Mission R, it would seem that the electric superbike that does competitive AMA Supersport lap times at Laguna Seca, is finally set to come to production. It seems we won’t know everything about the new Mission Motorcycles project until June 3rd, though we can speculate pretty accurately on what the A&R Bothan spy network has been telling us. Expect to see the Mission R electric superbike in street legal trim, honed even further than when we rode the machine back in August last year.
Stefan Pierer’s acquisition of Husqvarna continues to baffle me. You will note I say Pierer, and not KTM, bought Husqvarna, since the Austrian CEO used Pierer Industrie AG in the transaction as a means to help side-step European antitrust issues. After all, we can’t have Europe’s largest dirt bike manufacturer, nay largest total motorcycle manufacturer, gobbling up even more brands in the two-wheeled world. But, I digress. Developing three road bikes (Husqvarna Nuda 900, Husqvarna Strada 650, & Husqvarna Terra 650), with three more concepts waiting in the wings (Husqvarna Moab, Husqvarna Baja, & Husqvarna E-G0), it is with even more confusion that we learn that Pierer & Co. intend to kill the Husqvarna Nuda project and its other street siblings.
In case you missed the story last week, Kevin Schwantz is preparing to race in this year’s Suzuka 8-Hour endurance race. For the race, Schwantz will be riding on a team formed by Yukio Kagayama, who in addition to having raced in the MotoGP, World Superbike, and British Superbike Championships, is also a previous Suzuka 8-Hour winner with the Suzuki Endurance Race Team (also joining the three-rider team Noriyuki “Nitro” Haga). Releasing a Q&A about his team’s Suzuka 8-Hour entry, Kagayama-san walks us through how the team came together, what equipment the riders will use, and his outlook on the team’s competitiveness.
A single-cylinder hooligan-maker, the KTM 690 Duke is 330 lbs (curbside without fuel) and 67hp of two-wheeled fun, and we hope that the Austrians bring the KTM 690 Duke R our way as well. While we are on the topic of things missing from KTM’s American line-up, a decent supersport is painfully obvious, yet we can’t see the folks at KTM following the paths of other brands. That’s where our friend Luca Bar comes to mind with his latest concept: the KTM RC4. Using the KTM 690 Duke platform and its LC4 engine, Bar has designed a super-single full-fairing sport bike that takes the Austrian company’s “Ready to Race” DNA and applies it to an idea that is not all that disimilar to the Ducati Supermono.
When I sat down with Claudio Domenicali at the Ducati 1199 Panigale R launch, the now-CEO of Ducati Motor Holding was still just the General Manager of the Italian motorcycle company. Four weeks after our interview though, Gabriele del Torchio would leave Ducati for Alitalia; and Domenicali, a 21-year veteran of both the racing and production departments of Ducati, would take his place at the top of Italy’s most prestigious motorcycle brand. After reading our interview from Austin, Texas after the jump, I think you will agree too.
That Yamaha is working on a seamless gearbox is no secret, with Yamaha’s test riders currently racking up the kilometers around tracks in Japan. Recently, however, Spanish magazine SoloMoto published an article suggesting that Yamaha has already been using its new seamless gearbox since the beginning of the season. My own enquiries to check whether Yamaha was using a seamless gearbox or not always received the same answer: no, Yamaha is not using the seamless gearbox. To test this denial, I went out to the side of the track on Friday morning at Jerez to record the bikes as they went by.
After a very public father/son break-up between Paul Teutul Sr. and Paul Teutul Jr., a steroid-ring scandal involving Paul Sr., and finally a bankruptcy proceeding, it appears that Orange County Choppers is the impossible to kill multi-headed hydra of doom that we all knew it was, as the custom chopper shop is once again headed to the small screen and recruiting some talent, on and off the show. Looking for “someone who will work alongside Paul Senior, running the shop and helping build some of the best custom motorcycles in the world,” OCC says it will be back on television with a new show later this month. Please for the love of god, will someone give this man the attention he craves so dearly??! Or, just shoot us in the face.
We love us some concept bikes here at Asphalt & Rubber, and we have featured more than a few pieces of stunning design and imagination on our pages. Though, we can’t remember the last time one of these works of art were brought to us by a legitimate racing team, but that is what we have here with the Team Alstare Superbike Concept. A nod to the former Suzuki team’s return to the World Superbike Championship as the Ducati factory squad with Carlos Checa and Ayrton Badovini, Alstare has enlisted the help of designer Serge Rusak of Rusak Kreaktive Designworks to ink the shape of its futuristic Superbike concept, while Tryptik Studios handled the 3D modeling prowess.
If you didn’t watch Thursday’s pre-event press conference for MotoGP at Jerez, it is worth a viewing right to the end (assuming you have a MotoGP.com account). Building off the news about the NBA’s Jason Collins coming out as gay in a self-written feature in Sport Illustrated, my good colleague David Emmett had the courage to inquire about the culture and acceptance of the MotoGP paddock for homosexual riders. For the sake of accuracy, after the jump is a full transcript of David’s question, as put to riders Cal Crutchlow, Jorge Lorenzo, Marc Marquez, Andrea Dovizioso, Stefan Bradl, and Scott Redding, as well as those riders’ responses to David’s inquiry.
News that Suzuki plans on returning to the MotoGP Championship in 2014 should be old information for dedicated Asphalt & Rubber readers, and the Japanese company’s inline-four race bike was already spotted doing test laps last year by the eager eyes at Cycle World. Well the American print-mag has another set of eyebrow-raising high-quality photos of the 2014 Suzuki GSV-R to mull over from the Motegi race track, along with some technical insights provided by the venerable Kevin Cameron.
Still look like ass
FINALLY they start using brushless motors and regenerative braking…both have been around since before my parents were born. Now if ONLY the battery and battery charging would catch up.
Was gonna buy one until Bill said it looks like ass… oh wait, why would I care what a 12 year old with nothing constructive to say thinks. ;) I think Zero has done a great job with their latest offerings… why criticize them? if you dont like supermoto style bikes, perhaps you should consider keeping pointless comments to yourself…
These bikes at least look like much more serious product than what has been offered in the past from Zero. There’s evidence of real progress here and that make me believe they are a for-real motorcycle company. I am waiting for a performance test review article.
SO agree with Spiffster — “If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all.” To do otherwise is being ‘racist’ (eg., intolerant to other breeds). If Bill’s thing is Lambrettas, I’m perfectly fine with that and I support him!
Zero Motorcycles Commences 2012 Model Line Production – http://t.co/FD2G8rX9 #motorcycle
The Zero S would make a perfect commuter bike for me. Glad to see that the range and speed is improving on these bikes. But for the weekend trips, I’ll hold on to my noisy smelly and incredibly good looking Triumph Speed Triple :-)
Thinks are looking up for electric motorcycles http://t.co/UgmTG2Yy Not my cup of tea, yet.
Apparently Bill got spiffster and sports panties in a bunch. I agree Bill they look down right horrible. It’s time to scrap the mountain bike heritage of the old bikes and build a real motorcycle based street bike, ya know kind of like what Brammo finally ended up doing with the Empulse. While were at it what’s with that massive real sprocket? How long do you think that thing is gonna last on the trail?
I think the DS and S models look great for their respective classes. I agree the MX, X and XU are kind of ugly but to each his own. It’s good to see the technology progressing and becoming more realistic for people to use. Unfortunately my style of riding precludes the current technology from being useful but I’m sure it’s on the horizon. Once they make an electric sport-tourer/sportbike/canyon carver with a 500 mile range, I’m in!
Tessier (Bill), Zero currently makes supermoto and dirt bikes, they are not a one size fits all for absolutely everyone. Zero started with MX bikes, and they do quite well for their intended purpose. When you cross MX with street bikes you get supermoto / DS, like the S/DS/XU etc. Thank god there are other companies out there that make different style bikes. You should go check them out!
BTW the Brammo Empulse is a very different bike, sure they both run on batteries, but that’s where the similarities end. The Zeros fall under a different category. People that like the Empulse probably arent in the market for a Zero DS or even an S, and certainly not an XU. They dont compete directly, get it? Probably not, but you cant say I didnt try.
Someone should force these electrical bike/car manufacturers to provide clear explanations.
Sure it can do 88 mph and sure it can do 111 miles. But how many miles can it do at 88 mph? Assuming you need 15 kW to go 88 mph and the bike has an overall engine eficiency of 40% (which is a lot!), this thing can run 14 min at top speed. So 20 miles. No, guys you won’t make it to the office at that speed.
Hey WetMan, lookup EPA UDDS the standard Zero uses for their claims. There is no need to force them to provide clear standardized specs, they already do:
http://www.zeromotorcycles.com/zero-s/specs.php
Brushless DC electric motor efficiency is more like 80-95%
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electric_motor
88mph is the top speed, sustained is 75mph. A big improvement over last years S. Need something faster? Just wait for the Empulse or next years S if your into supermoto bikes.
A lot better looking overall than where they came from.
Great advancements in tech as well. Not sure about that chin part reaching back…..
Zero electric motorcycles start production. Great city bikes! http://t.co/qD6ESBHz
It’s all about batteries. No the ones made today, but what’s forthcoming.
The original Bill still thinks it looks like ass.
I agree with ya Bill. Seeing them in person last weekend in NYC confirmed that in my mind.
The Asphalt and Rubber commenting system allows the “original” Bill to agree with himself, using different usernames. How clever!
There is a damage control “bill” (easily identified by the lowercase ‘b’) Would the real Bill, please stand up.
**** that bike looks like ass.
I actually think the Zero DS looks pretty fit. Kinda looks like a smaller, electric Dorsoduro.
@ Rolf, RGR, & WetMan
Your comments are spot on… May very well suffice for the commuter travelling less than 50 miles one way, but best hope you don’t forget your wallet or house keys, cause at some point you will have passed the rubicon. Definitely won’t work for a weekend machine…
@Bill & Tessier
I tend to to agree, it looks like the ass of a Michael Bay Transformer… As for the Spocket, “someone should write Zero, and tell them to extensively test that bike before they sell it..!” –LoL
Agree with Bill, looks like ass.
Nothing to do with supermoto styling or performance. It’s just bad design and bad design sucks.
It is a business after all and ugly moto doesn’t sell well. Then again, CX500, late model Katana and anything by Roland Sands or OCC….maybe they are on to something…..
Thinks are looking up for electric motorcycles http://t.co/UMiD4o1N Not my cup of tea, yet.
@TRL
Not to get off topic, but I am totally with you on the Roland Sands thing. To this day I have no idea why anyone likes his design style. The Desmo Dirt Tracker with the “wizard hat” tail section was just the icing on the cake.
@Wetman
The S should be around 85% efficient battery-to-wheel. 75 mph is the rated sustained speed of the bike, initial owner reports are 35+ miles at 75 mph. Range goes up substantially at lower speeds, and vice versa if you burst to vmax..
@A&R
You’ll be hard-pressed to make the trip. 60 miles on I-880 and CA-17 freeway speeds are the dealbreakers. You can probably make the trip on side streets at no more than 45 mph.
Thinks are looking up for electric motorcycles http://t.co/g5khYcif Not my cup of tea, yet.